* I just finished reading the dystopian novel Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. (My review is up on Goodreads.) I now realize this was good timing. The film adaptation is due out in theaters next month. Here's the trailer:

And speaking of trailers (and dystopias), here's the book trailer for the third book in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay. There's not long to wait until August 24! Hot Topic also has Hunger Games t-shirts in time for the new release. There's news on the upcoming film adaptation, as well.

Last but definitely not least, happy birthday to lizziebelle! May you have a wonderful day and a fantastic year to come.

"Poor creatures. What did we do to you? With all our schemes and plans?" — Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go

I do recommend it. Very worth the read, although I'm trying to figure out if its something more (thus my solicitation of your opinion). First person narrative bout changelings, from both the perspective of the stolen child living amongst the changelings and the changeling living amongst the humans. Beautiful language, which is always my soft spot, but I'm left a bit up in the air on my opinion of it as a whole. Felt a bit like Neverwhere in that to me ... perhaps for the same reasons? That I was expecting one thing and got something else, and the disjunction between the two fogs the glass of true perspective? Or something along those lines anyway. If you ever give it a read, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks, Amy! I didn't know there would be a movie of NLMG until you mentioned it on Goodreads.

S P O I L E R A L E R T

I'm still not convinced the kids aren't deliberately brain-damaged. Their passivity, especially that of Tommy, seems too extreme to be explained by mere indoctrination. Plus, the question in the wider society of whether the kids have "souls" seems crazy if it's only because they are clones. (That silly idea shows up in bad SF, but in this world? C'mon.) But, maybe I'm wrong.

You may very well be right about the kids. I haven't read much on the story behind the film; with any luck, the creators consulted closely with Ishiguro, and it will clarify his vision somewhat. I alternate between being excited and worried about the adaptation. It does seem like very ambitious and first-rate casting, though, so at least that's encouraging.

Hmm. As I think about it more, I'm backing away from my brain-damaged theory. (Hey, that works both ways: it could mean that it's a theory about damage to brains, or that the theory itself is brain-damaged.) There are too many ways, some of which you've mentioned, that the kids appear normal. For one, their art would have never been displayed if it was terrible.I guess the kids' passivity can be blamed on the isolation and control of their upbringing, plus the utter indifference the outside world shows to their fate.

In any case, as with all storied told by unreliable narrators, reading between the lines, and asking questions, like this one, about what is really going on, is a big part of the appeal of the book. We could argue this point forever. I'm sure the author would be thrilled if we did.